termo

Forms

termō m (genitive termōnis); third declension^[1][2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τέρμων (térmōn), adapted to Latin;^[1] de Vaan says that it might have been borrowed from Greek.^[3] The OLD compares the native termen and terminus,^[1] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *ter-mn- (“boundary stone”) and Proto-Indo-European *ter-mn- (“peg, post”).^[3] Köbler tentatively connects it with terō and the root Proto-Indo-European *ter- (“to cross, overcome”).^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is recorded in the Annals of Ennius^[2][6][7] and was later noted by Festus.^[2][7] The OLD takes it there as the finishing post in a race.^[1]

Semantic evolution

Most dictionaries take it simply as a by-form of terminus, a boundary or limit,^[2][6][7] while the OLD gives it the narrower sense of the post that marks the end of a race.^[1]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it in the Annals.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A finishing post in a race.^[1]
2. A boundary, limit, the same as terminus.^[2][6][7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Pokorny, Julius (1959), Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern; Munich: Francke
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier